Braun Multiquick 3 K650 Kitchen Machine 600 Watt
|
List Price: Our Price: $142.95 You Save: $7.00 (5%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Kitchen See more product details |
|---|
Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Braun Multiquick 3 K650 Kitchen Machine 600 Watt
Customer Review: DO NOT BUY THIS
Summary: 1 Stars
Below is my old review. Here's what I've just learned:
Braun is no longer making food processors for the US market. They are no longer shipping replacement parts to their US service and repair centers. Even their 800 number told me that the service and repair centers cannot repair my K650. (My lid is stuck with the tab in the locking slot). Two of my local service centers told me that Braun isn't even offering a warranty on US-sold food processors. This item is as good as "Grey market". Do not buy this. It isn't worth the frustration.
I purchased the Multiquick 3 K650 based on the recommendation of another Amazon customer, contained within in a negative review on a Cuisinart model. I really want to love this machine completely, but I have a few disappointments.
The "kneading hook" will never be as good as a Kitchen Aid stand mixer dough hook. It doesn't come close.
The main blade has short reach that leaves some ingredients along the edge edge of the bowl wall untouched. I realize the blade cannot touch the wall, but the margin could have been narrower. It also doesn't seem to pull down ingredients from the top with the efficiency or speed that I'd like. (Perhaps I expect too much?) Often I find that wet ingredients, like egg whites, are not fully blended in but collect around the base of the center post. So far this has not prevented my cooking endeavors from turning out okay. I just take the lid off and stir it with a rubber scraper and then blend again.
The slicing blade makes very thin, beautiful slices. I intend to order the course slicing insert.
I dropped the bowl and it cracked half way down the bowl, under the handle - on my second use of the Multiquick - so I have to order a replacement bowl already. I'm not thrilled about the lack of bowl durability, but all the other parts seem durable (except for maybe the kneading hook).
And as another reviewer noted, it does seem to shake/vibrate quite a bit at higher speeds. I think this is more an indicator of the unit's power than anything else. The unit's feet stay firmly stationary on the counter while the unit vibrates. It appears to work like your car's struts. This characteristic doesn't trouble me.
Overall, I like it. It is a huge improvement over my 10 year old Hamilton Beach that I bought for forty bucks. I don't think I would be happier with a similarly priced Kitchen Aid or Cuisinart.
Customer Review: I made a good choice. Thank you other reviewers!
Summary: 5 Stars
Hey! Are you pondering buying this? If yes, read this short review and say it was helpful. :-) And then, look at the other positive reviews and click the box. Why do I say do this? Because this is a very solid food processor, so spread the word. Mine arrived today. I spread the parts on the table. I gave it all the engineer's once-over. All parts clicked in place properly. I said to my son "look at this... most food processors have a line on the bowl that says 'maximum fill level' for liquids. Do you see why? Because the mechanism can only take a small amount of liquid before it overflows and you have a mess on your hands. Look: see that the blade control is sealed? I can fill this to the top. It appears to be a couple quarts. I've never before owned a food processor that can do that."
We tinkered with the parts. It's not just chopping and slicing and bread blade. It's also got mixer for egg whites or whipped cream. Dear Lord! Now my Kitchen Aid and food processor must do battle! But now to the important bit: it's got variable speed! What's stopping other food processor makers from adding that? Now I have a food processor muscling in on the territory of both my Kitchen Aid mixer and my Vitamix. But that's all good for me.
Yes, I spent a few bucks more for the Braun than I might have on the others I might have bought. However, I'm sharing the love with the reviewers as I read enough to realize that the other manufacturers have gotten either cocky or lazy and have dropped the ball with support. I am a businessman with a great product, but the day I decide that things can't go wrong between creation and customer satisfaction is the day I decide to abandon both my product and my customers. So far, it seems Braun has kept that attitude where their competitors have lost that edge.
Summary: This is the best designed food processor in its class. Don't elect to save a few dollars in this case and get one of the lower-cost food processors; you will regret it. Note: I rarely offer this advice because, most of they time, I consider saving money to be the best idea.
Customer Review: Even better than expected
Summary: 5 Stars
Braun K650 CombiMax Food Processor 600 Watts
I was actually a bit concerned with the uniformity of the positive reviews of the Braun K650, as it seemed they might be "planted" reviews, but with one exception I found them to be accurate. The one exception to the positive reviews for the K650 is the included juice extractor. I found it to be useless, but maybe that is just me.
I purchased the K650 with the optional adjustable slicing and french fry system, per review advice on those attachments. I have already used them frequently and I am glad I got everything as a set, given that one of the attachments is now listed unavailable at Amazon. I really hope that Braun is not discontinuing the K650, it is such a great product. I would absolutely buy it again should anything happen to this one.
For some reason I was never very convinced the Cuisinart was the best, its complications scared me off I guess, then when they went to being made in China........Cuisinart does have the best instructions and recipes I've found so far, though, and I confess to adapting those to my Braun.
Everything else has been exactly as stated in others' 5 star reviews, the K650 is unbelievably quiet, very fast, the variable speed is a great feature, and clean up is fast and easy, even from dough making. I haven't whipped egg whites or cream yet, but I did make the best ever orange rolls of my life, and I've been using the same recipe for over 20 years. Very impressive.
The only lack I can see to this machine is a good detailed manual and recipe book. Online instructions and recipes, for pie crust for example, are contradictory to say the least, but I guess practice will make perfect eventually. Even with this lack, I still give it 5 stars, as recipe books don't seem to be included with many food processors these days, if they ever were, certainly I didn't get one with my 20 year old processor which the Braun replaced.
Customer Review: Oh, no.
Summary: 2 Stars
I feel kind of foolish writing this, seeing as how there are all these glowing reviews at the time of my writing. But the truth's got to come out. I bought this because my ancient (I mean, REALLY ancient), primitive but unbelievably efficient Robocoupe finally broke in a way that I could not repair. I loved the way the CombiMax looked, I usually find Braun's appliances adequate, the price was great, and the attachment selection is really nice. So I ordered it.
I wish, I wish, I so fervently wish, that it worked. But it doesn't.
The worst flaw is that the blade is improperly designed and does not move the food around the bowl acceptably. I'm talking a minor issue here. It doesn't work. You have to stop and manually rotate the food constantly to get it processed evenly. Inevitably, there is a large unmixed portion on the bottom of the bowl where the blades fail to reach. I don't mean a trace: I mean a goodly amount. This, in and of itself, is a deal-breaker, as this is the minimal function expected of a food processor. If it doesn't process food properly, I really don't care how many speeds it has, that it can juice an orange, that it looks pretty, or that it costs less than a competitor's product. It doesn't process food properly. End of story.
In addition, it is too lightweight and will jump and skip around the countertop during many jobs, so you have to keep a watchful eye on it. That is secondary, as you usually have to keep a watchful eye on your food processor in any event. Still, it is not ideal.
So I can not in good conscience recommend this product. I will no doubt force myself to live with it for a few more years since after all I paid good money for it, but I'm not happy about it and there is no doubt I will replace it at some point. My Robocoupe had no attachments and one speed. And it kicked the CombiMax's ass.
Customer Review: An Incredible Food Processor
Summary: 5 Stars
After searching for a replacement for my Cuisinart, I came across the glowing reviews. I have owned several Braun kitchen gadgets with good success so I decided to try this. It is one nice machine. My only disappointment is hearing Braun has discontinued their food processor line. It is not easy to find one of these combimix food processors for a reasonable price. Some old reviews showed it as low as $89.00. I purchased mine for $137.00 + S&H.
Pro's: Very quiet compare to my Cuisinart. You have two knobs. One that turns the machine on and off, plus you can push a pulse button on that knob, and the other knob allows you to regulate the speed. The locking system is simple and amazing. I have not tried any liquids that are at risk of leaking, but looking at the locking mechanism, it seems more solid than my old one that leaked often.
The blade system is really nice. You get a range, but as others have said buying the coarse slicer is a good idea, since the slicer provided only slices thin. There are extra parts you can buy that allow for variable sizes with slicing or you can just purchase a standardized slicing blade. I haven't decided which one to get yet, but will be getting one of them.
Cons: Hard to find, and when I looked, price range was $137.00 - $197.00. Braun discontinuing such a great product! Need to buy some extra parts if you want a variety of size for grating and slicing. When I contacted Braun, they mentioned this site to contact for extra parts [...]. Due to it's design, it does take up more space than other upright food processors, but it is worth it.